Bouw van landhoofd en oeverpijler van de brug over de Oude Maas aan de rechteroever bij Spijkenisse 1900 - 1908

This photograph, "Construction of the abutment and the river pier of the bridge over the Oude Maas on the right bank near Spijkenisse," was taken by Arnaud Pistoor & Zoon in August 1900. What strikes me is the way the cool grey tones, are not mournful but alive, a full range of light. I can imagine the darkroom, the smell of chemicals, the patient work of coaxing an image from the silver. Look at the lower part of the frame, at those twin railway tracks running into the distance. They're more than just infrastructure; they speak of journeys, connections, and potential. You can almost feel the weight of the unseen engine, the promise of movement, the anticipation of what lies beyond the horizon. It makes me think of Eugène Atget, who photographed Paris with a similar sense of melancholic beauty. It's a reminder that art is always in conversation, a continuous exchange of ideas across time.